Which Pak PM faced the contempt notice first?

TrendPK.com

ISLAMABAD: Embattled Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Thursday appeared before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, defending himself against contempt charges in the NRO implementation case, TrendPK reports.

But he was not the first PM who was issued contempt of court notice.

It is the second time that the court has initiated contempt proceedings against a sitting prime minister, plunging Gilani’s weak government deeper into a crisis that could force early elections within months.

Nawaz Sharif was the first PM to face contempt proceeding.

The highest court on Thursday summoned Gilani to explain his refusal to ask Switzerland to re-open graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari waived under NRO.

Supreme Court judges have six options on how to proceed which include finding Gilani in contempt, disqualifying the prime minister and president, and holding early elections.

Let’s have a look at contempt of court notices served to Nawaz Sharif in the past when he was a prime minister.

In 1997, the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faced the court proceeding for his contempt of court. Akram Chaudhry Advocate filed a petition in SC on Oct 30, 1997 against the PM’s press talk.

Other than Sharif, four sitting PMAs, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali among them, were named in the plea, seeking court action for their alleged contempt.

After an initial hearing, the court issued show-cause notice to Nawaz asking him to appear on Nov 12. Sharif appeared in the court on Nov 17 and 18 amid his written statement. He was later exempted from appearance in hearing by the court.

On the night between Nov 18, 19 an amendment was got approved by the Parliament in Contempt of Court Act, quickly evading Sharif’s ineligibility for public office.

However the law promulgating new constitutional amendment was abruptly cancelled by the SC on Nov 20 on the application filed by chairman Muslim Qaumi Movement Naveed Malik.

The proceeding in case of attack on SC on Nov 28 was suspended and, later, a 10-member bench dismissed Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, and the new CJ Ajmal Mian acquitted Mr. Sharif and others in the contempt of court case in 1998. TrendPK